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The classical music critic suffers the double indignity of opining on
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24 Nov 2025, 05:10
24 Nov 2025, 05:10
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The classical music critic suffers the double indignity of opining on a field that the layman mostly (i) ________ : not only must he deal with the fact that the public tends to look (ii) ________ on critics but he must also risk coming across as (iii) ________ a subject in which few deign to show any interest.
| Blank (i) | Blank (ii) | Blank (iii) |
|---|---|---|
| A. spurns | D. askance | G. deeply moved |
| B. embraces | E. unduly | H. dispassionate in |
| C. misinterprets | F. smugly | I. condescending towards |
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The classical music critic suffers the double indignity of opining on
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24 Nov 2025, 21:53
24 Nov 2025, 21:53
What is the solution to this? I think it's a very hard and rather abstruse question that I haven't encountered before.
Re: The classical music critic suffers the double indignity of opining on
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25 Nov 2025, 01:30
25 Nov 2025, 01:30
Expert Reply
Detailed Analysis
1. Analyze Blank (i): The Layman's View of Classical Music
- Context: The critic opines on a field that the layman mostly ______ (i).
- Clue: The end of the sentence states the critic must "risk coming across as (iii) _______ a subject in which few deign to show any interest." The phrase "few deign to show any interest" strongly implies that the public rejects or ignores the field.
- A. spurns: Rejects with disdain or contempt; refuses to have anything to do with. (Excellent Fit. Synonymous with the idea of the public showing no interest.)
- B. embraces: Accepts or supports willingly. (Contradicts the final clause.)
- C. misinterprets: Interprets wrongly. (While possible, the lack of interest/rejection is a stronger theme.)
2. Analyze Blank (ii): The Public's View of Critics
- Context: The critic must deal with the fact that the public tends to look _______ (ii) on critics.
- Clue: The entire sentence describes the indignity (shame, insult) of being a critic. Therefore, the public must view critics with suspicion or disapproval.
- D. askance: With an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval. (Excellent Fit. This is a common idiom: "to look askance at.")
- E. unduly: To an unwarranted degree; excessively. (Doesn't describe how they look, only how much.)
- F. smugly: In a self-satisfied or superior way. (Doesn't describe the public's view of the critic, but possibly the critic's view of the public.)
3. Analyze Blank (iii):
1. I. condescending towards: (Patronizing superiority).
- Argument for I: If the critic discusses the field passionately and deeply, he risks looking down on the audience who doesn't care. His dedication contrasts negatively with their lack of interest, making him seem superior. (This was the initial conclusion.)
2. G. deeply moved: (Strongly affected by emotion).
- Argument for G: If the critic is discussing a subject that the public spurns and treats as a nuisance, the critic's display of intense, deep emotional connection to that subject (deeply moved) makes him look foolish, misplaced, or intensely out-of-touch to the indifferent public. The indignity comes from his genuine emotion being exposed in a cold environment.
Given the options, G. deeply moved creates a clearer sense of the "indignity" that arises specifically from the lack of public interest. The critic's passion is wasted on or appears ridiculous to an apathetic audience. If the critic is simply condescending, the indignity is on the public (they are being talked down to); if the critic is deeply moved, the indignity is on the critic (his deep feelings are ignored by everyone else), which fits the structure better.
1. Analyze Blank (i): The Layman's View of Classical Music
- Context: The critic opines on a field that the layman mostly ______ (i).
- Clue: The end of the sentence states the critic must "risk coming across as (iii) _______ a subject in which few deign to show any interest." The phrase "few deign to show any interest" strongly implies that the public rejects or ignores the field.
- A. spurns: Rejects with disdain or contempt; refuses to have anything to do with. (Excellent Fit. Synonymous with the idea of the public showing no interest.)
- B. embraces: Accepts or supports willingly. (Contradicts the final clause.)
- C. misinterprets: Interprets wrongly. (While possible, the lack of interest/rejection is a stronger theme.)
2. Analyze Blank (ii): The Public's View of Critics
- Context: The critic must deal with the fact that the public tends to look _______ (ii) on critics.
- Clue: The entire sentence describes the indignity (shame, insult) of being a critic. Therefore, the public must view critics with suspicion or disapproval.
- D. askance: With an attitude or look of suspicion or disapproval. (Excellent Fit. This is a common idiom: "to look askance at.")
- E. unduly: To an unwarranted degree; excessively. (Doesn't describe how they look, only how much.)
- F. smugly: In a self-satisfied or superior way. (Doesn't describe the public's view of the critic, but possibly the critic's view of the public.)
3. Analyze Blank (iii):
1. I. condescending towards: (Patronizing superiority).
- Argument for I: If the critic discusses the field passionately and deeply, he risks looking down on the audience who doesn't care. His dedication contrasts negatively with their lack of interest, making him seem superior. (This was the initial conclusion.)
2. G. deeply moved: (Strongly affected by emotion).
- Argument for G: If the critic is discussing a subject that the public spurns and treats as a nuisance, the critic's display of intense, deep emotional connection to that subject (deeply moved) makes him look foolish, misplaced, or intensely out-of-touch to the indifferent public. The indignity comes from his genuine emotion being exposed in a cold environment.
Given the options, G. deeply moved creates a clearer sense of the "indignity" that arises specifically from the lack of public interest. The critic's passion is wasted on or appears ridiculous to an apathetic audience. If the critic is simply condescending, the indignity is on the public (they are being talked down to); if the critic is deeply moved, the indignity is on the critic (his deep feelings are ignored by everyone else), which fits the structure better.
